The DNC's response to former Gov. Palin Thurssday was reminiscent of questions about her background that were raised immediately after she debuted as Sen. McCain's running mate in 2008.

Washington (CNN) – A day after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin suggested that voters had not allowed President Obama to be sufficiently scrutinized before putting him into the Oval Office, the Democratic National Committee is firing back and calling Palin "an expert in not being vetted."

In an appearance on Fox News Wednesday night, Palin essentially said Obama is not up to the task of holding the nation's highest office.

"I think he's quite complacent," the former Republican vice presidential hopeful said. "And I think he's in over his head. And I think he has poor advisers around him. And I think he's really in flux kind of when it comes to what his governing philosophy actually is. Some of this though is a result of he not having much experience and then a complicit media and maybe some voters who chose to not to allow him to be vetted very closely."

In a statement e-mailed to CNN, the DNC turned the tables on Palin, who had faced questions about the vetting process used by the Sen. John McCain's campaign to help select her in 2008.

"While former half-term governor Palin is certainly an expert in not being vetted, we put our trust in the judgment of the American people who rejected not only the broken policies she and Republicans continue to call for, but also this very kind of childish politics she continues to engage in," DNC national press secretary Hari Sevugan said. "What's been fully vetted and thoroughly rejected by the American people is the failed approach in tone and substance offered by Sarah Palin and her ilk."
Speaking last year, A.B. Culvahouse, the attorney tasked with leading the vetting process for McCain's running mate, said he thoroughly scrutinized Palin and "came away impressed."

Culvahouse also suggested that McCain had been attracted to the risks associated with picking Palin.

"I said, John, high risk, high reward," Culvahouse told an audience last year. "His response: you shouldn't have told me that. I've been a risk-taker all my life."

soundoff(246 Responses)

In an appearance on Fox News Wednesday night, Palin essentially said Obama is not up to the task of holding the nation's highest office.

And Fox News is fair and balance. They let this woman spread her hate toward the President on a daily basic. Fox News just don't know when to stop.

August 5, 2010 03:48 pm at 3:48 pm |

Spiker715

Our last "president" couldn't articulate a sentence that resembled the English language and this half wit, half term, quitter says that Obama is in over his head? In what world is she living that she actually thinks that she is more qualified to run the country then a constitutional scholar? She is delusional.

August 5, 2010 03:48 pm at 3:48 pm |

Faith/Jacksonville

For someone who said "she could see Russia from Alaska", does not know the difference between a continent and a country, a person who just ramble...with words and a person I see is clueless about directing the country........I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THIS LADY WAS NOT VOTED THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. She is so jealous and vicious toward President Obama; that it's ridiculous to even listen to her or read anything she has to say. One thing I can say about this article that is true...and that's FORMER GOVERNOR OF ALASKA (and that was a watch up call for all people in Alaska) and FORMER REPUBLICAN V.P. HOPEFUL. Well call it what you want.....vetted or screened candidate; JOHN MCCAIN got just what he bargain for ......A HIGH RISK which came to light that the woman is a psycho and a danger to herself. God knew what he was doing when it came time for a President to be elected....He molded a fresh, intelligent, charisma man with WISDOM. I give President Obama high five for all that he has done. He's no superman and nothing happens over night. And the decision is not President Obama alone. See all of you in 2012.....OBAMA/BIDEN 🙂

August 5, 2010 03:49 pm at 3:49 pm |

Fenarkleman

Sarah Palin – no talent a-clown. More so than Michael Bolton.

August 5, 2010 03:49 pm at 3:49 pm |

mir

Never seen or heard a more crazy woman than sarah palin who didnt even complete her full term as governor of alaska because she knew she was incapable. wherever she speaks i vomit as there is no head nor tale to what she says. the republican party has just put her there to take jabs at my wonderful president because they are funks and cannot do it themselves openly and this woman thinks she is indispensable. she doesnt know they are just using her once they have accomplished their goal they will give her a kick. and i will celebrate that day.

August 5, 2010 03:49 pm at 3:49 pm |

Marcus

Speaking last year, A.B. Culvahouse, the attorney tasked with leading the vetting process for McCain's running mate, said he thoroughly scrutinized Palin and "came away impressed."

And we all know what made him feel like that!
Not in a good way, of course...

August 5, 2010 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

one voice

Can we have an open debate between President Obama and this halfwit Palin so we can put this ridiculous women out to pasture. POTUS OBAMA would eat this CLOWN ALIVE. LOL

August 5, 2010 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

Brett from Oriskany,VA

Wow Sarah Palin gets 3 articles on the ticker today! So i know everyone is going to complain about whether she's newsworthy and whether CNN has a secret lover affair going. But in reality, its you an me, the Palin detractors and Palin lovers, who click on each story that appears on her. We fuel the demand. i am not a Palin supporter,frankly I find her very scary, but you have to admire her ability to remain in the news fro two years after her 15 minutes of fame. I wish she would go away, but as long as I click on every Palin tidbit and morsel, i know she's going to be around.

August 5, 2010 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

mfhpr

Does that complete idiot think she or McCain or any other person in the world would've been prepared to take on the task of POTUS on Jan 20, 2009? The most "experienced" politician or mgr would've been in over his/her head, given the state of the world around us. Man, she truly IS stupid and worthless...

August 5, 2010 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

Elizabeth

That Palin creature is a LEECH, and no one seems to know how to get rid of it!!!

August 5, 2010 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

pam

Lord that poor Sarah Palin just needs to shut up! and GO AWAY!

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

omnin

Idiot skank needs to stop spewin retards out of her broken snatch before he talks about anybody else. Took her 8 years to get a 2 year degree but she knows all about constitutional law and even has Muslim friends. Yeah, right.

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

Independent One

Sara Palin talks about proper vetting....WOW this is a lady who take notes on her hand

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

nleath

If Palin had the experience she claims to have versus what she claims President Obama is lacking, she would have remained Alaska's governor through the end of her term. She didn't have the requisite experience and was overwhelmed by the job. So she quit – that's it – pure and simple. I watched Palin's resignation speech (if that's what you call it) and nothing in that rambling diatribe made any sense nor did she provide a valid reason for stepping down. What Palin does is to throw accusations at anyone who disagrees with her. She never explains herself when questioned because she has no answers to any legitimate question. The American people are lucky to have a highly educated, highly intelligent individual as our President in Barack Obama. I wouldn't ascribe any of those attributes to Palin.

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

Michael

OK, hold up your hand if you think Sarah Palin knows what the word "flux" means.

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

brenhend

Talk about breath-taking arrogance.

This quitter, who didn't finish her term as governor, has the nerve to call someone else "in over his head." Ha.

This idiot is so stupid, she doesn't even know she's THAT stupid.

Get lost, witch.

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

GL

She needs to shut her mouth and spend more time with family. First thing is take care of your family and Sara Palin have not done a good job at that.

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

Garbage Pail Kid

So, Palin thinks Obama is "in over his head"? Who was the one who welched in the middle of HER term? The Presidency has no room for Ross Perot types ...

August 5, 2010 03:51 pm at 3:51 pm |

pam

like sarah palin is qualified to even breathe! I think you wll see many americans leave the country if she gets a position in high office. she has the brain of a dead leaf. GO AWAY SARAH-YOU DON'T MATTER!

August 5, 2010 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

tjaman

Our president was on the campaign trail for 20 months ahead of the Nov. 2008 elections. And if his character, substance, value and worth were unknown to anyone ahead of that decisive contest, they have manifest in excellent brilliance since. And to the sour grapes crowd, it only gets better from here. To paraphrase, give 'em hell, Barry! 😀

August 5, 2010 03:52 pm at 3:52 pm |

David Green

I think every American with half a brain realizes Palin is a failure herself (no denying there)

Also, most of America with a brain and thought process can see Palin has no chance at anything political... she ruined that when she failed and made a fool of herself in 2008. The only fans she has now are feminists who typically don't have a clue about much but themselves anyhow!

August 5, 2010 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

johnrj08

Most people don’t know how Sarah Palin managed to come from out of the blue when McCain chose her as his running-mate. An article in The New Yorker revealed how Palin was sold to the Republican National Committee by contributors to The Weekley Standard and National Review. Neocon ideologues William Kristol and Fred Barnes were guests of Governor Palin at her “mansion” during an Alaskan cruise, i.e. junket, back in 2007. Subsequently, a group from The National Review including John Bolton, Robert Bjork and Dick Morris made a similar trip to Palin’s mansion. Basically, these men loved Palin and concluded that she should be on the ticket because her ideology was so strikingly similar to George W. Bush. These are the people who then wielded influence with John McCain and the heads of the RNC, and they are the ones who convinced the Republican nominee that Sarah Palin would bring the base of the party onboard. McCain, being the cynical and easily manipulated political creature that he is, bought their argument and, to this day, defends his indefensible and totally blind choice of a running-mate. This bit of background explains why he never vetted Palin and that it didn’t matter whether she was qualified to be President or not. Country first? Not even close. It also provides the context for Chris Buckley’s decision to resign from The National Review, a magazine which was started by his father.

What is most interesting about all this is that McCain played no role in the selection of his running-mate, beyond saying “OK”. Sarah Palin was basically foisted upon John McCain, who accepted her without any vetting at all on his part. The notion that political operatives can subvert the system and impose such an overtly unqualified running-mate on a candidate in a presidential election is downright frightening. Especially when you consider that the candidate was the oldest to ever be nominated.

August 5, 2010 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

Dustin

If there is a god he will let Sarah Palin run against President Obama in 2012 and he will wipe the floor with her – and the helicopter she shoots animals from.

Then, she can continue to pen books and live her life in a way that mirrors the movie Idiocracy.

August 5, 2010 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

pam

What a joke ha ha ha

August 5, 2010 03:54 pm at 3:54 pm |

shadysider

Well said, DNC. Straight forward, honest and to the point without any unneccesary partisan fighting words.